Professional Development Series for New Faculty
Return to the New Faculty Orientation front page.
Tentative Schedule for the 2008-2009 academic year.
Archive of NFDS schedules for previous years.
Addressing the Need: In 2007, the Teaching Excellence Center (TEC) created a 2-semester orientation program that provides the new faculty, instructors, and visiting professors with the following four components (* the TEC will coordinate these components):
- In-depth exploration of campus offices and resources *
- Training modules covering teaching pedagogy issues *
- Regular opportunities to interact with faculty from across campus *
- Specific time set aside for individual professional development.
Each instructional unit will reserve the same hour each week for new faculty development (For 2007-08, Fridays from 12:00 - 1:00). Every week at this time, new faculty will engage in one of the above four components of development. More specifically, every other week, they will meet as a group for scheduled TEC-coordinated components. On alternate weeks, information will be shared electronically and the faculty can engage in individual professional development activities of their choice.
Examples of TEC-coordinated components:
- Resources: advising, disability services, library, wellness center, research and sponsored programs, faculty senate, office of technology, etc.
- Modules: classroom management, effective content presentation, cooperative learning, incorporating writing, creating appropriate exams, handling student problems, etc.
- Intellectual interaction with various cohorts of faculty (e.g. near-peer, longer-termed, teaching excellence award winners, grant recipients, etc.)
Benefits of the proposed program: We anticipate that this dedicated time will become a safe and supportive environment, where new faculty can work with peers and experienced faculty to facilitate their development as effective members of the SFA academic community. By utilizing the one-hour of office hours, this program will require no additional funding.
Background: Prior to the 2007-2008 academic year, new faculty members received a 2-day fall-semester orientation that introduced them to individuals from various campus offices that provide services of which faculty should be aware. This orientation culminated with a social that was a first step toward helping them meet others from the SFA community and become part of that community themselves. However, once the semester began, there were no systematic development programs for new faculty. They could seek advice from colleagues or attend teaching circles or workshops provided by the Teaching Excellence Center, OIT, etc. While such approaches were useful, many new faculty members felt overwhelmed and too pressed for time to avail themselves of such services. We believed that a more comprehensive program would promote faculty effectiveness and increase overall new faculty retention.